Apparatus for cleaning boilers



Jul 28, 193-1. B. M. THOMPSON 5 1559 Ai'mnATus FOR CLEANING BOILERS I Filed June 24,1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ber/ah /7 Flam 2.500

IN VEN TOR TTORNEYS.

July 28, 1931. a. M. THOMPSON APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BOILERS s Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed June 24, 1927 Ber/bl: /Z 7' ffompsan' gwbwtoz July 28,1931. 5. M. THOMPSON 1,315,993

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BOILERS Filed June 24', 1927 s Sheets-Sheet s I fi r/a/I M. momma/2 I N V EN TOR.

TTORNEYS.

i patented July 28, 1931] 'ArPARiam'fs ,FOER GLEANBIG "TEQ IL ER'S es. Th u a; iih is to manually "clean the *soot QandSohd exiemal" deand said devic es, on for each nest (if jtfilbes,"

my 11516 Y 1' it is only necessary to allow the boiler to F6601;

peru- "constfttiiion; wni b-imtibh "and arrangement the d me-rant nozzles that I fl'ialv'e used to Figure 41s a sectional vrew ofthe packin 30 iiliplicd to inverted wtyp'bdilei', iv'h'idh I is shbw'ii "partially in sg'cfibil; the Tight-H5116] iless of thbes and'dmm wail 'sbeiiig M wash -'h"s"l )1id 'ex'fiei'n'al comb ustio'n deposit .i out of the more inaccessible p'l'ific's around the apparatus is introduced Within the fire iion the lowei drum 1; next'to the (a ain mg polished sti'i'p a, maqnemq be hereinafter described, so that the usual parts of said boiler above said cleaned surface thereby become a partof said shield, said canvas shield being a removable supplement thereto;

Referring to Figure 2, numeral 6 repre 'sents' a canvas trough that constitutes the lower portion of the canvas shield above referred to. The lower edge of the canvasshield is clamped within a packing member 7, shown in detail in Figure 4. This packing member is placed along the clean strip be-. tween the boiler and the firebox and is' held rigidly in position by means of clamp 7a shown in detail in Figure 5.

At the lower portion of the canvas trough are a plurality of outlet tubes 8 that carry away the used water and waste material constituting the cleanings from the boiler. The tubeortubes 8 that are unattached to the run-off pipe or pipes, that pass through door 4, are pluggedasshownat theleft of Fig- 7 ure 1.

; Referring particularly to Figurefi, T have shown ametal trough 9' to which the canvas shield is secured 1n any manner sufiicicnt :to

insure a water tight connectic-n between the v :trough' and the shield. Upon this trough is mounted a packing strip similar to that to be described with reference to Figure l. The

mounting is practically identical with that of the trough shown in Figure 2. l

1 Referring particularly to.

is firmly held in position by means of bolts 12. Vithin the channel of'the outer U memher is a flexible packing strip 13 of rubber It will-thus be seen that or like material when any pressureis exerted against the boiler by the packing member a water tight confnection is obtained.

' ventions have beentried a flexible adaptableclamp of the form shown in Figure is easily It is to be'understood that-anyclamping means .thatwill securea water tight connection between the packing strip and the boiler issufficient. However, I have found that with the types of boilers upon which my inadaptable to' the varying slopes between the tubes and theboiler drum, as wellas adjustable to overcome the warping tendency of 'clampgthere is initially pivotally'mounted a threadedmember 1 7 that carries a threaded screw 18 in its lower end. \Vhen the: clamp- 'ing elements are placed around the tubes said pendant members 17 may eachrbe advanta- "65L geously radially positioned about theirpiv- Figure l, the, packing member flconsists of'a plurality of U strips 10 between which is clamped one edge of'the metal or canvas trough 11 which otal connections to each of their respective clamping elements 15 and 16 to properly position their screws 18 to most efiiciently engage the channels of U-member 10 whereby said screws 18 may, when tightened against member 10, position and retain the adjacent edge of shield 6. The several clampingjunits may then be rigidly clamped in'position bymeans of bolts passed through the holes 19 and 20.

The tip of the screw 18 is then'placed in the channel of the U-member 10 shown in Fig-;

ure 4, so that the flanges of member 10, be-

tween which screws 18 are extended, may

secure in position the removable shield 6 even when some of the screws 18 inadvertently do not press against the web of said U member 10; but in such contingency the rigidity of member 10, between the screws 18 that do bind against the web of member 10, will still exert sufficient tension upon the rubber strip 13 to form a water-tight union between it and said cleaned surface of drum 1 even at points where a screw '18 inadvertently should not be exerting tension againstthel web of member lO. It will thus'bei seen that'the packing 13 may be pressed thus and'thereby forma water-tight jointwith' and throughout the lengthof said cleaned surface of the wall of the boiler drum by advancing the screw 18 through the member 17 of each clampingunit.' I a i v The combustion deposit,-formed upon all of the surfaces of the boiler exposed thereto, is far l-essconductive of heat than the metal forming said surfaces, so that said deposit must be frequently removed for eflicient operation. a V V V i The water deposited seal-e formed upon the interior surfaces of 'such'boiler tubes is of a wholly different nature and character than the combustion deposit formed upon the exterior surfaces ofsaid tubes which my invention is specially adapted to remove rapidly and efficiently. I

a The constituents of said combustion deposits vary with thefuel used'and with the conditions under which it is used. 7

A number of tests made of such deposits from different fuels disclose the following variations in" constituents Ash content varying from about 40 per cent toabout 7 0 per cent of the mass; volatile-carbon content varying from about 30 per cent to about 62 per cent of, the mass; and a content ofwater soluble constituents varying from about 3 per cent to about 20 per cent of the mass; f

Other samples may vary further and inelude other substances.

' have discovered that the constituents of 'SZLlCl deposits are finely divided and intimately commingled in the mass; that the said constituents thatjare water soluble are quickly liquified and washed out, of the interstices in said mass occupied by said water. soluble con- 11 5116 arqa, gkept supplied with: "said w hgfihei a of said mass sub ectea m said m b i er 3 6 1 tw i a hi t i o 'ijt intimegbuthy ihcrgasing saidwag'mpemme ubstantially above. "atm sphem tan peraitilfe its] aw of removal, 'of S616. dgpeg lg is subsfahtially'incfased. I Il the,pmctice offmy inve I ,found that Wateiihefited 300 a t nip bciii 1 d gr a phc jim ra' Q of about 8O pounds pensiquar'ihchl'gifve's S251;-

1 4 O PPi sul jef xia'id shiela "6 S10:

ritfml strains dbcxsidnedby said ex-- nentwas used 156 hip o ff said deposit, 1

v awor ski-em 6 points beyongl t'he mt.

mm 2? the "tubes 3 and th'e combustion de- Where ait deposit fills the horizontal "pixcefbtfwben the tubes 3,1;he n'ozz1e may be whereby h a e described actions and Te 'i "b 1 n,wwhihgmt, expansion the wa ter the diietiiiii o fthe lbngitudi nal said; diapos'iig with reilati'my 's li g-hi; manual wh y-m id nozzle barewks thfoug' h the' upper amin 'ladieral'l alon sininfthgyrgidnofkhe Haaw OPS a d" I mama shie1d30,

-.theycombusted and combusting products,

coming through each nestof tubes 3, towards and to the stack. "In such normal functions said shield 30 has formed thereon said deposit,'in a layerthining toward, and infspots -near, its top, causing said shield 30. to become overheated in theareas occupiedby said V V [the diamond point 24 with a plurality of side i slots 25 for directing the liquid from the sides of thenozzle.v The nozzle shown in "Figure deposit. Such overheating tends to. weaken and buckle shield 30,.as well as to ignite any oil that may drip, or dust that may collect,

upon the external surface thereof, andto thus v .except that one of the sides of the diamond point is sheared off on one side, as at 26, to direct the flow of liquid to one side. Also in endanger the vessel or structure containing such boiler. Said tendency is obviated by i the removal from shieldSO ofsaid depositat frequent intervals, which removal my 1nvention alsomost: economically and eflicient .oftubes3 I In my inventionsaid Sl116ltl-3O not only ly accomplishes concurrently with the re moval of said deposit from'each of the nests causes the hot impacted water from saidnozzle, necessary" to molsten, expand, fracture Htions of the shieldwhich 1 form of a part of water drum 1-, andthesupplemental temporary shield 6 which Iattach thereto; but said shield 30 serves the further function of catching and draining, ultimately into said shield 6, said water-accidentally aswell as necessarily projected above the upper layerof achnest t b 3 in t eoperation of cleaning the same.

It is therefore apparent that said shield 6lf'unctions as the flexible lowerportion. of, and is supplemental to, the much greater area of shield afforded in my invention by the permanent shield 30, temporary shield G and the surface of said drum-1 between and lad-q joiningthe adjacent edges ofsaidshields 6 and 3 0;Qand that my invention causes said shield SO and said surfaceof. drum 1 to serve V saidadditional function foreign to their:

' normaluses, and in violation of the heretofore prevailing custom of keeping liquid from the combustion areas of boilers, which areas are usually lined with refractory material.

Thus, in my invention, inadvertent or ac idental diverson of the liquid impacting nozzle occasions no injury, as said members 30,

1 and Gfunotion together as a shield of such ample proportions as to catch practically all 7 possible discharge of'said nozzle. This enables a spare boiler to be cleaned While the vessel is at sea,'or even during-astorm, without Wetting or injuring'the refractory lin- .ing by such moisture or the placingof flexible shield 6, which shield-alsoprevents injury to or operatorswho-may be thrown the operator foff their balance by'the motion of the. vessel and againstshieldj6 and itsedges.

' .11 For thisfpurposel supply water through a flexible pipe tubes,

and Wash Zofi :said, deposit therefrom, to, be drained, with the'sludge, onto the lower porthe hot. fresh that ledv selec s:

through the'access door and terminates in a into themore inaccessible places about the The nozzle shown in Figure 6 is that of the diamond type 24 that is used for all direct work. The nozzle shown in-Figure 7 has 8 is similar to the one shown in Figure 6 show n in Figure 9 is'open ended and is used for direct washing of'thelarger surfaces between the boiler tubes,

Each of the nozzles 1s formed of'ttibing, the sides of, which are flattened throughout the major portion of itslength, as shown in Figure 6, in order. to readily introduce the nozzle, to the extent of its flattened length,

into the. horizontal as well as vertical spaces between the tubes v3 of eachtube host, as well as'to obtain agreater Volume of liquid flow- 3 ing athigh velocity in a flattened stream'than would be obtained from a round nozzle of a size readily introducible into said spaces.

Said flat stream of liquid maybe sprayed over a given surface quicker than by a round stream of thel1m1ted size, and its greater volume of dischargeof impact liquid substantially lessens. the time in which said deposit may be'moistened, absorb, expand,

disruptand be washed away. e

Said combustion deposit soon forms in constant use of the boiler and in thicknesses varying from two inches to six inches, especially over drums 1 and'in the lower part of the tube nests, whe re, before my invention about ninety per cent of the failure ofsuch tubes occurred. i j

The frequent. use .of my, invention prolongs the eflicientlife of such boilers from one to two yearslonger'than when my invention is not used.

' The method that I have found most eflicient is to allow the boilers to cool and have the fire removed from the fire box. As soon as the temperatureof the'fire box has'lowered' sufficientlyto permit an operator to Work therein the shield and' trough'are inserted through the access door.- Astripis then cleaned along thelower druml of the boiler. just above the 'slopingtop of thefirebrick wall5, and below the tubes 3, and the shield'6 is mounted in the manner above describedforming a water tightconnection between the boiler and the packing memberf. The. shield is. then hung from the upper 7 ends of the tubes.

.Jhfter theJsh-ield; the trough hare been secured inposition the liquid oriwater ccenis" led; through the access door; a The operator then? Works from abovel the shield and inserts the nozzldbetwiaen thetubes and turns on the Wilill, Beginn-ingnear the top oteachipipe hegfollows the fipacesbetween the;

l boiler itubesfi downto pointiignz close fproximit-ya t-o thelower-boilendrmn 1.- the use, lot thisihot fresh ater, Irhaa'ej found th atthe f solid depositsthat collect uponithe tubes and more'particul'arly that which solidified into-a compact mass near; the:- baseaflot thetubes otthe boiler, is disintegrated to a sufiicient fine=- ness "tfo be carried. fromq'around and between the tubes into the troughandthnoughthe ou-t leticonduits: I Y- I haave tried manyflkindsot shields, butsaid flexible lower shield 6- has been most efficient, 1 enables ftheoenatiVe-jor operatives tfo "Wonk 1 efiicientlyand with satety in the close quarters' Where tfheg eamejmust; be used, andi 1 especially Whemto expedite thework, sepla rateshield 6; and; one'on moreop eratives are a simultaneouslyemployedflfor' each nest of tubesB, wherein such flexible shields 6 yield I l readilyto;and;arezdisplaced by,the-bodies 01 I the operativeszatjpointswhere thesame; is not;

'thenlbeingyusedi asa; Water and sludge shield -o v said temporarydisplacements:ofsa dshields 6i-afibrcl ampleyworklng snacejton the oper ativesv-and the nozzles-and; them hose, and

' f'aifonds as sa fe-gangway for the-,operatives substantiallyth 'whole area; between I the 1113-- [with said flexible; Shields; 6; tfiOPdS 6, p

1 atiweswanning thatfharder substances-are, being'approached." a 0 mnfiexible and c ;,uny1eld1n'g; sh eldi 6 couldinotbe'employed without jsacnific ngthe "aiforesaid advantagem and inust-abe-madei in;' I small; sections, to get; them into and; out, of

I thegd joint b etweenisuclnsections, and require mone timelfion assembling each; shield 6, besides o v affording: less 'roomfor-the operatives, more 1 liability of: injuring them or the refractory lining by accidental 'contact therewith, and

i oorv4c-,' withzli'abilitybf leakage in; each:

pnejcludemorethan one; such rigid shield; be-

7 ingyusediini the same: combustion; chamber at thea' sam'ewtimeJflj I y i this method and ap'pas'atus it WllllbB seen, .that by applying hotwaterunder pressurezin the-l manner'abovef described that sectionsiof a "boiler emay' beithoroughly cleaned'in anoperation that consumesver little tlmQlIkCOl'IlQZlDhsoil {With that necessary fon-cleanin'githeSame V boiler by the methodsaand apparatus here 5: am ss itofbnemsed This substantial saving of time 1 that, awboilermustfbegout oiicQ li missiomwh le beingz le -nedoficbmbustion epasit szot as lue' -and-zin war-time said faeilityswith which i n i i e115 par rb'oileitm {b e cle ne while; its

'ment of the United States purposes Without the 'faceof said U shaped for-effecting aWaterti-ght seal between the packing element-andthe-boiler; g I

4 Ina boiler cleaning apparatus,the=com advantages.

Vessel is in operation further enhances its Ti 7 bodiment "ofmy invention and that minor 7 detail changesv in the construction "and ar-i rangement of parts may be made Within. the

scope of the appended claims Without sacrificing any'of the advantages of my inventioIL- f V In my co-pending application, Serial No. l 201,268, I have claimed the method herein dis- L and claimedapparatus for the efficient practice'of suchl method. 7 The invention herein described may bemanufactured and used'bycr for the Governroyalty thereon or therefor; I g v I 1 l Having thus describedmy invention, hat I claim is: as follows 1; In a boiler cleaning apparatus, the com,- I

bination of a boiler havin'g" tubes subject to accumulation ot-combustion deposit a metall-ic membeir, a flexible shield secured to said mounting-the shield the tubes of a boiler,

men'iber and means for and said member below andmeans for passing within theboiler and applying tosaid deposit fluids 2. Ina boiler clca'ning apparatus, the c0mv bination of a boiler having-tubes subject to accumulation 0t combustiom lic member, a flexible shieldsecuredto one side of said member, a packing element seg} a cured to'the opposite side of said 'member,-; 1 i g I means for elfecting'a ater tight seal; b l

tween the packing element and the tone posite side of said shield;

, In aboiler cleaning apparatus; the com-i"; 'bination' of a boiler having tubes subject to; accumulation 'ofcombustion deposit,a metallic 'm6I 1ber-, a flexible shieldi secured to said member, apacking element secured to said:

member; said packing element including a" U-shaped member engaging the side of the member, a packlngstmp onchanneled sur-f bination' of a boiler having tubes; subjectktoi accumulation ofcombustion deposit, a metallic member; a flexible shield secured to said 1nember,-apacking element 's'ecured to; said member said packing element'cons'isting0t] a compressible Watenproof strip secured t'o' said member, means: for) eflecting a aitertight seal, betweenisaidstr ip and theboiler; saidmeans cons-istingof a-pluralityoficlamps a. 1 I engaging the tubes of! the; boiler? and having eajch apart/adjustable againstsaid packing elementd is It will be understood that theaboye I scription' and accompanying drawings 7 com; a prehendonly the general and preferred emfor gouernmental d p si a me closed incident to the better understanding of Y the in entive concept of the herein disclosed payment to me of any l and means fon removably securing; the op-IT I i v 7115 member, and means 3 bination', of aboiler having tubessubjectto In "aboilercleaning apparatus, the com accumulation of combustion deposit,"nieans conducted from said shield.

' l 6-. In a'boiler cleani1ig a'ppa1'atus, the combination'of a boiler h'aving tubes subject to accumulation of combustion depos t, ineans for-applying l quld'uponthe combustion deposit, a flexible shield, end portions forsaid shield, means-for reinovably securing said shield to portions ofsaid boiler whereby said V shield is held at a plurality of angles relative to a horizontal plane, andmeans whereby waste may be conducted from the low part of said shield.

-' 7. In a boiler'cleanin'g apparatus, the combination ofa boiler having'tubes subject to accumulation of combustion deposit, means for applylng llquid upon the combustiondeposit, a flexible shield, means for. securing one side ofsaid shield in bodily contact with a surface of said boiler, means for support-3 ing the remaindercf said shield, and means whereby wastemay be conducted from said 3 shield.-

V shield. 4 77 g Y V v 9. Ina cleaning apparatus for water-tube "boilers, the'comblnation of a boiler having f =8; In a boiler cleaning apparatus, the combinationof a boiler having tubes sub ect to accumulationot combustion deposit, means for applying liquid upon the combustion deposit,a flexible shield, meanslfor remevably securing said shield in a liquid-tightjoint to a surface-of said'boiler, means for supporting vthe remainder 1 ofsaid; shield, and "means wherebywastemay be conducted from said tubes subject to accumulationoi combustion deposit, a plurality of clamping means for attachment to tubes ofsaid boiler, a shield, means supported by said clamping means for securing one side of saidshield, and 'means for, securing another side otsaid shield to said boiler.

10. In a cleaning apparatus for Water-tube boilers, the combination of a boiler having tubes subject to accumulation of combus sh.ie'ld, means supported by said clamping V means for securing one side of said -Sl'l18lC l,

means forsecuring another side of said shield,

.tion deposit, a plurality ofclamping means for} attachment to tubes of said boiler, a

' under said boiler, a hose coupling secured to said'shield, and a ,hoseattachabl'e to said coup ling;

-11. In a boiler; cleaning apparatus, the

combination of a boiler having tubes subject to accumulation of combustion deposit, a

., flexible shield, means for removably mount-7 ing said'shield adjacent that part of said boiler to be cleaned, and means for conveying terent points;

waste from said shield 'a-plurality of air q 12. An apparatus for cleaning the coinbustion deposit from the metallic portions of boilers comprising a boiler having metallic portions liable to combustion'deposits and be cleaned, and means whereby said liquid'is confined in its application Within and conveyed outside of said boiler'withoutwetting other than said 'metallie portionsto be cleaned;

13: An apparatus for cleaning the combustion deposit from the'metallic portions of boilerscomprising a boiler having metallic portions liable to combustion deposits and another portion liable to be injured byv con tact with water, means for'passing within the boilerand applying liquid to said deposit to be cleaned, a shield, and 'means torso rem'ovably mounting said shield that portion another portion'liable to be injured by con tact with -water,means for passing within-the boiler'andapplying liquid to said deposit to of said boiler above sa'id shield also functionto drain the spent liquid into said removable shield.

14:. An apparatus for cleaning the combustion deposit from the metallic portions of boilers, including in combination a lower drum,-tubes rising therefrom, a deflecting shield extending from said drum upward for normally directing the combustion products, V

a supplemental "shield, means for applying liquid to said deposit to be cleaned,'and means for so removably mounting said supplemen-' tal shield thatitmay catch the spentfliquid drained from said deflecting shield, drum and tubes. j v p 715.=An apparatus for cleaning the combus tion deposit -from; themetallic portions of boilers," including in" combination a lower drum,- tubes rising therefrom, a deflecting shield extending from saiddru'm upward for normally directing the combustion-products,

a supplemental-shield, meansffor applying liquid to said 'depositf' tobe" cleaned, and means whereby said supplemental shield may be removably secured with one of its edges forming a liquid-tight joint witha surface of said drum below said tubes and; said sup;

'plemental shield may catchthe spent liquid f drained from..said deflecting shield, d and tubes.

16. 'An apparatus boilers, including in combination, a lower drum, tubes rising therefrom, a metallic de-f fleeting shield extending from said drum upward for normally directing the combustion products, means for applying liquid tosaid deposit to be cleaned,-aflexible supplemental shield, a rigid member-seeured to one edge of for cleaning the combus-- tion deposit from-the metallic portions of said supplimental shield, and means whereby said supplemental shield maybe removably Imounted with its said member forming a liq (hid-tight jointfwi-th asurface' ofsaid drum below said tubes and said Supplemental shield may catch thespent liquid drained from said deflecting shield, drum and tubes.

'17; In apparatus forcleaning the combustion deposit fromkboilers, the combination I with a boiler, having an access door leading to the parts of g j fractory material-associated with said parts to be cleaned, of means passing through said, door'for applying a cleaning medium to the I becleaned, means for preventing said.

area to theboiler to becleaned, and ren edium'from contactingwith'saidrefractory Jto'be cleaned, of means passing through said door for admittinga confined cleaning medium, (manually operable valve controlled means communicating with said first named means within'said boiler for "applying'said medium to the surfaces to be cleaned, means ing for preventing said applied medium from contacting with said-refractory material, and means whereby the 'waste from the cleanperation maybe conveyed, from said boiler." Y

' -19; Inapparatus'forcleaning iZllGCOIIibUSftion' dep'osit from boilers, thecombination v with ab oiler, having a door leading tothe I partsof the boiler to be cleaned, and refractory material 'associatedwith said parts/to befl'cleane'd, .of a

ablevalve controlledmeans Within the boiler fintroducable throughsaid door and comcleaning operation. I m I '20. In apparatusfor cleaning the combustion deposit from boilers, the combination with a boiler, having a door leading to the parts of the boiler to be cleaned; and re-' waste from be cleaned, and rep 7' -.portable means passing mounting means characterized as through salddoor for delivering a confined cleaning medium, portable manually ,operconvenient to the hand of the, operator'ad-e jacentthe parts to be cleaned for controlling the 'rateand direction of application of said medium; and portable substantially flexible means removably secured within the boiler introducable through said door for receivmg and conveying from said boiler, each substantially without in urious contact with refractory material, the applied medium and waste from the cleaning operation.

21. In aocleaner for boilers having tubes I closely nested .togetherand subject to ac- 1 cumulation of combustion deposit on and be- I tween the tubes, the combination with means for supplying a confined cleaning medium within the boiler, of a manually portable nozzle having a thin, long, flat spraying end and an integral short substantially round 'base'portion ofa diameter larger than the short diameter of said flattened nozzle, said flattened end being adapted to pass between I said closely nested tubes whereby the spray- 22. The apparatus of claim 1 with said L mounting means being characterized as adjustable.

each having a'screw adapted to secure said member in place;

'ing end of said nozzle may be introduced between the nested tubes in the cleaning opr 23. The apparatusof claim 1 with said mounting means being characterized as iny eluding a plurality of adjustable portions 2,4. The apparatus of claim 1 with said a plurality of clamps adapted to be removincluding secured to said clamps, anda screw mounted in saidadjustable means'and adapted to secure said member in place.

,BERIAH M. T OM SON."

fractory material associated with said'parts able means Within the boiler introducable through said door and communicating with said delivery meansfor applyingsaid medium to the boiler surfaces to be cleaned, man- I I 5 ually operable means communicating with said delivery means within the boiler and 

